To be Honest...

[toomanyshoes]

I struggled with BF DS and in the end for many reasons went to formula. My biggest fear was going through all that stress again with DD to end up with formula again. We had our ups and downs but honestly it was easier the second time around, I had more confidence the second time around, the first time I was a new mum and had no idea what I was doing which I think made the breast feeding fears worse.

I don't really know how to explain it but with DS there were a gazillion things to worry about, how do I bath a baby, change a nappy, put them to sleep and so on but with the second DD I already knew all that so I could put all my energy into making breast feeding work. I hope that makes sense.

[{sarah}]

I was in the exact same position two years ago, my DS was born in 2005 after a very long labour & emergency c/section. My body shut down & went into repair mode & didn't produce any milk for him at all. In 2008, I had my daughter in better circumstances (though it was another emergency c/section) and we did really well, breastfeeding exclusively for 8 months and with solids until 15 months.

I thought bottle feeding was easy as well & wondered what the fuss was about, but breastfeeding is easy too. No worrying about organising bottles, washing, warming milk when out of the house etc, it's all there ready to go

Let me tell you though, something that is super important is getting bub to the breast as soon as possible. I know everyone says it but from my experience it is absolutely true. After my traumatic labour I forgot with DS, he was born at 1.30am and I think the first time we tried to breastfeed was at 5pm that night, after he had a million heel pr!cks to check his sugar levels. When DD was born, even though she went to special care & I was in recovery for 2 hours due to PPH, we breastfeed about 3 hours after birth. I often wonder if that made the biggest difference between the two....

Good luck, the first experience doesn't necessarily dictate what will happen the second time.

[~ Zarava Flutterby ~]

Let me tell you though, something that is super important is getting bub to the breast as soon as possible.

You know i think it's 100% right. DD1 wasn't on the breast until well after we had the ambulance ride to hosp and i found it hard for her to attach and although we DID BF for roughly 5mths i found it's been a lot more of an expereicne this time round, DD2 was STRAIGHT on my chest and she kidn of found her own way to my boob, she laid there sucking for over 30min all on her own... maybe thats why she's sucha pig now.